Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi said Monday in Sanaa that his country had documents proving Iran's sovereignty over three Gulf islands also claimed by the United Arab Emirates, reported the official Iranian news agency (IRNA).

"Iran has historical documents proving that these islands, which are a cause of conflict with the Emirates," belong to the Islamic Republic, the Iranian foreign minister said shortly before he ended a two-day visit to Yemen.

"We are ready to submit these documents to our Emirati brothers, in order to make the issue absolutely clear," he said at a news conference.

He also regretted that the "UAE did not respond to Iranian initiatives aimed at solving the conflict."

Both Iran and the UAE have said they will never retract their claims to the strategic islands, which Iran has held since 1971 when Britain pulled out of the region.

Iran has rejected an appeal by the Arab leaders at the March Arab summit, calling on the Muslim country to accept international arbitration.

During his stay in Sanaa, Kharazi met with Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh for talks on bilateral ties and regional issues in the Middle East region.